11

SKILL 1

Temperature

EQUIPMENT
Thermometer appropriate for site (glass [mercury] or electronic) (Figures 1 and 2)
Lubricant (rectal)
Gloves, nonsterile (rectal)
Tissue

ORAL TEMPERATURE
SAFETY
1. Oral temperatures contraindicated in following circumstances:
a. Uncooperative or unconscious children.
b. Following oral surgery.
c. Children under 2 years of age.
2. Oral temperatures are inaccurate in children receiving
oxygen therapy. Oxygen cools the mouth and tachypnea
leads to a low reading.
3. Use a glass thermometer for children over 6 years of
age.
PROCEDURE
1. Steps 14 of General Guidelines.

FIGURE 1 Centigrade and Fahrenheit

temperature chart.

FIGURE 2 Oral and rectal thermometers.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR VITAL SIGNS

1. Check record for baseline and factors (age, illness, medications, etc.) influencing vital signs. Provides parameters and helps in device and site selection.
2. Gather equipment, including paper and pen, for recording vital signs. Promotes organization and efficiency.
3. Wash hands. Reduces transmission of microorganisms.
4. Prepare child and family in a quiet and nonthreatening
manner. Enhances cooperation and participation;
reduces anxiety and fear, which can affect readings.
NOTE: Infants and young children may be quiet and
more cooperative if vitals signs are obtained while
child is sitting on caregivers lap.

2. Select thermometer: glass with oral bulb (usually blue

tipped) or electronic.
3. Prepare thermometer.
a. Glass thermometer.
1. If stored in a chemical solution, remove from
storage container and rinse under cool water.
Removes disinfectant, which can irritate oral
mucosa and have an objectionable taste. Cool
water prevents the expansion of mercury.
2. Use tissue to dry from bulb end toward fingertips.
Wipe from least to most contaminated.
3. Check mercury level. It should be 35 C (95 F)
or below. Must be below normal body temperature to ensure accurate reading.
4. If not below 35 C (95 F), grasp the nonbulb
end of the thermometer firmly with thumb and
forefinger and shake briskly by snapping the wrist
in a downward motion.
b. Electronic thermometer.
1. Remove from charger.
2. Place disposable sheath over the probe. Reduces
transmission of microorganisms.
3. Grasp tip of probe stem, avoiding pressure on the
ejection button. Pressure on the ejection button
releases the sheath from the probe.
4. Place the tip of the thermometer under the tongue
along the gumline to the posterior sublingual pocket.
Ensures contact with the large blood vessels under the
tongue.

continued
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12

SKILL 1

Temperature

continued

5. Instruct the child to close mouth around the thermometer. Maintains appropriate placement, decreases time
needed to obtain accurate reading. Open mouth breathing produces an abnormally low reading.
6. If electronic, turn on scanner and follow manufacturers
instructions.
7. Leave under tongue required amount of time. Stay with
child while thermometer in place. Reduces risk of
injury.
a. Glass thermometer: 35 minutes as specified by
agency policy. Allows sufficient time to register accurate results.
b. Electronic thermometer: Will sound tone or beep
when finished recording temperature.
8. Remove thermometer and read temperature.
a. Glass thermometer.
1. Wipe with tissue away from fingers toward bulb
end as necessary to read thermometer. Wipe from
most contaminated to least contaminated area.
2. Read at eye level. Rotate slowly until mercury
level visualized. Ensures accurate reading.
b. Electronic thermometer: read digital display.
9. Clean and store thermometer.
a. Glass thermometer.
1. Wipe toward bulb end of thermometer with soft
tissue. Dispose of tissue in accordance with
guidelines for handling body fluids. Reduces
spread of microorganisms; mucus on thermometer
may interfere with effectiveness of disinfectant
solution.
2. Cleanse with cool soapy water and rinse under
cool water. Shake down the thermometer.
Mechanical cleansing removes secretions that promote growth of microorganisms. Hot water may
cause coagulation of secretions and expansion of
mercury in thermometer.
3. Store according to agency policy.
4. Wash hands. Reduces transmission of microorganisms.
b. Electronic thermometer.
1. Push ejection button and discard disposable
sheath into an appropriate receptacle. Reduces
transmission of microorganisms.
2. Return probe to storage well.
3. Wash hands. Reduces transmission of microorganisms.
4. Return electronic thermometer to storage unit.

RECTAL TEMPERATURE
SAFETY
1. Rectal temperature contraindicated in the following circumstances.
a. Infants < 1 month of age.
b. Premature infants.
c. Prolapsed rectum.
d. Following rectal surgery.
e. Severe diarrhea.
f. Bleeding tendency, e.g., leukemia, thrombocytopenia.
g. Imperforate anus.
PROCEDURE
Taking a rectal temperature is an intrusive procedure representing an invasion of the childs body; may cause an
increase in fear of body mutilation, especially in toddlers and
preschoolers. Take a rectal temperature only when necessary.
1. Steps 14 of General Guidelines.
2. Select thermometer: glass with rectal bulb (usually red
tipped) or electronic.
3. Provide privacy for child.
4. Prepare thermometer as in Oral Temperature, step 3 of
Procedure.
5. Lubricate the tip of the thermometer with a watersoluble gel. Reduces friction and promotes ease of insertion. Minimizes irritation of mucus membranes in the
anal canal.
6. Place tissues in easy reach. To wipe anus after removal
of thermometer.
7. Put on nonsterile gloves. Reduces transmission of
microorganisms; protects nurse from contact with body
fluids.
8. Position child. Ensures visualization of anus.
a. Infant: prone position or supine, grasping ankles with
one hand and elevating the legs.
b. Older child: on side with upper knee flexed. Flexing
of the knee relaxes muscles and promotes ease of
insertion.
9. Separate buttocks to expose anal opening and gently
insert thermometer. Instruct older child to take a deep
breath. Gentle insertion decreases discomfort and prevents trauma to mucous membranes. Taking a deep
breath relaxes the anal sphincter. (Figure 3)

continued
Copyright 2007 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

13

SKILL 1

Temperature

continued

AXILLARY TEMPERATURE
SAFETY
1. There are no age restrictions for taking an axillary temperature.
PROCEDURE
1. Steps 14 of General Guidelines.
2. Select thermometer: glass or electronic. Follow agency
guidelines regarding type of thermometer to use, oral or
rectal.
3. Expose axillary area.

FIGURE 3 Infant position when taking a

rectal temperature.
NOTE: If resistance is felt do not force. Remove thermometer and check temperature by another route.
a. Infant: insert 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Inserting more than 1/2
inch may cause rectal perforation.
b. Older child: insert 111/2 inches.
10. If electronic, turn on scanner and follow manufacturers
instructions.

4. Make sure axillary skin is dry. Pat dry if necessary.

Prevents a false low reading.
5. Prepare thermometer as in Oral Temperature, step 3 of
Procedure.
6. Place tip of thermometer under the childs arm, well up
into the axilla. Bring the childs arm down close to the
body and hold in place. Ensures more accurate measurement; allows thermometer tip to rest against superficial
blood vessels in axilla; brings skin surfaces together, thus
reducing air around the tip of the thermometer that
might affect temperature reading. (Figure 4)

11. Leave thermometer in place required amount of time.

Hold thermometer in place and do not leave child
alone. Reduces risk of injury.
a. Glass thermometer: 34 minutes as specified by
agency policy. Allowing sufficient time for the thermometer to register results in a more accurate assessment of body temperature.
b. Electronic thermometer: will sound a tone or beep
when finished.
12. Remove thermometer gently in a straight line.
13. Wipe anal area to remove any lubricant and/or fecal
material.
14. Read temperature as in Oral Temperature, step 8 of
Procedure.
15. Reposition child in a comfortable position.
16. Clean and store thermometer as in Oral Temperature,
step 9 of Procedure.
NOTE: Need to remove gloves before washing hands.

FIGURE 4 Positioning when taking an axillary temperature.

continued
Copyright 2007 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

14

SKILL 1

Temperature

continued

7. Leave in place required amount of time.

a. Glass thermometer: 610 minutes according to
agency policy. Allowing sufficient time for the thermometer to register results in a more accurate assessment of body temperature.
b. Electronic thermometer: will sound a tone or beep
when finished.
8. Remove thermometer and read as in Oral Temperature,
step 8 of Procedure.
9. Clean and store thermometer as in Oral Temperature,
step 9 of Procedure.

TYMPANIC TEMPERATURE
SAFETY
1. Do not use in infected or draining ear or if lesion or
incision is adjacent to ear.
2. Further study needed regarding accuracy of tympanic
temperature with otitis media, sinusitis, or in premature
infants with small ear canal.

FIGURE 5 Insertion of temperature probe

into childs ear canal.

PROCEDURE
1. Steps 14 of General Guidelines.
2. Select contact infrared tympanic thermometer.

draw down the temperature, leading to an abnormally

low reading.

3. Remove probe cover from container and attach probe

cover to probe tip. Prevents contamination.

7. Remove probe after temperature is displayed. Read display.

4. Position child for access to ear. Turn head to one side.

Pull pinna down and back for a child under 3 years of
age and up and back for a child over 3 years of age.
Provides access to ear canal.

8. Remove probe cover and discard; replace probe in storage container. Prevents probe damage.

NOTE: Do not use ear on side child has been lying on.
Ear in contact with a surface can build up heat and
give abnormally high reading.
5. Gently insert probe tip into the external ear canal. Use
firm pressure to obtain an adequate seal. Prevents
trauma to the ear canal and ensures accurate temperature reading. (Figure 5)

9. Return tympanic thermometer to charging unit.

10. Wash hands. Reduces transmission of microorganisms.
DOCUMENTATION
1. Temperature
2. Route and for tympanic temperature which ear used.
3. Device used.
4. Who notified if finding of concern.

NOTE: A better seal (thus a more accurate assessment

of body temperature) is generally achieved using the
right hand to take a temperature from the right ear and
the left hand to take a temperature from the left ear.
6. Quickly achieve a seal making sure the probe tip is
aimed toward the tympanic membrane. As soon as the
probe is in place press the scan button. Measures temperature by measuring infrared energy from tympanic
membrane. Pressure of the probe in the ear canal can
Copyright 2007 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.